Letters From Home

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Bonaventure by Mr. Clement Harrold.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha by Dr. John Bergsma.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Benedict by Dr. Shane Owens.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn.

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Lecturas:
Zacarías 9, 9–10
Salmo 145, 1–2.8–11.13–14
Romanos 8, 9.11–13
Mateo 11, 25–30

En el Evangelio de esta semana, se nos da una semblanza de Jesús como un nuevo y más grande Moisés.

Moisés, el hombre más humilde que había sobre la tierra (cf. Nm 12,3), era amigo de Dios (cf. Éx 34,12.17). Sólo él trataba con Dios “cara a cara” (cf. Dt 34,10). Y Moisés le dio a Israel el yugo de la Ley, por la cual Dios se reveló, primero a Sí mismo y después el modo como debemos vivir (cf. Jr 2,20; 5,5).

También Jesús es manso y humilde. Pero él es más que un amigo de Dios. Es el Hijo, el único que conoce al Padre. También es más que un legislador; hoy se nos presenta como el yugo de una nueva Ley y como la Sabiduría revelada de Dios.

Como la Sabiduría que es, Jesús estaba presente desde antes de la creación del mundo, como el primogénito de Dios, el Padre y Señor del cielo y de la tierra (cf. Pr 8,22; S 9,9). Y nos da el conocimiento de las cosas santas del reino de Dios (cf. S 10,10).

De acuerdo a la gentil voluntad del Padre, Jesús revela estas cosas sólo a los que son como niños; a los que se humillan ante Él como niños pequeños (cf. Si 2,17). Solamente ellos pueden reconocer y recibir a Jesús como el salvador justo, como el rey humilde prometido a la hija Sión, Israel, en la primera lectura de este domingo.

También nosotros estamos llamados a tener esa fe de niños y a confiar en la bondad del Padre, como hijos del nuevo reino: la Iglesia.

En la epístola de este domingo, San Pablo nos exhorta a vivir por el Espíritu que recibimos en el bautismo (cf. Ga 5,16), sepultando nuestros viejos modos de pensar y actuar. Nuestro “yugo” es cumplir Su nueva ley de amor (cf. Jn 13,34), por la cual entramos en el “resto” de su reino.

Como cantamos en el salmo de este domingo, esperamos alegremente el día en que bendeciremos su Nombre para siempre, en el reino que perdura por los siglos. Este es el descanso sabático prometido por Jesús, anticipado primero por Moisés (cf. Ex 20,8–11), pero que aún queda para el pueblo de Dios (Hb 4,9).

Readings:
Zechariah 9:9–10
Psalm 145:1–2, 8–11, 13–14
Romans 8:9, 11–13
Matthew 11:25–30

Jesus is portrayed in today’s Gospel as a new and greater Moses.

Moses, the meekest man on earth (see Numbers 12:3), was God’s friend (see Exodus 34:12, 17). Only he knew God “face to face” (see Deuteronomy 34:10). And Moses gave Israel the yoke of the Law, through which God first revealed Himself and how we are to live (see Jeremiah 2:20; 5:5).

Jesus, too, is meek and humble. But He is more than God’s friend. He is the Son who alone knows the Father. He is more also than a law-giver, presenting Himself today as the yoke of a new Law and as the revealed Wisdom of God.

As Wisdom, Jesus was present before creation as the firstborn of God, the Father and Lord of heaven and earth (see Proverbs 8:22; Wisdom 9:9). And He gives knowledge of the holy things of the kingdom of God (see Wisdom 10:10).

In the gracious will of the Father, Jesus reveals these things only to the “childlike”—those who humble themselves before Him as little children (see Sirach 2:17). These alone can recognize and receive Jesus as the just savior and meek king promised to daughter Zion, Israel, in today’s First Reading.

We, too, are called to childlike faith in the Father’s goodness as sons and daughters of the new kingdom, the Church.

We are to live by the Spirit we received in Baptism (see Galatians 5:16), putting to death our old ways of thinking and acting, as Paul exhorts in today’s Epistle. Our “yoke” is to be His new law of love (see John 13:34), by which we enter into the “rest” of His kingdom.

As we sing in today’s Psalm, we joyously await the day when we will praise His name forever in the kingdom that lasts for all ages. This is the sabbath rest promised by Jesus—the rest first anticipated by Moses (see Exodus 20:8-11), but which still awaits the people of God (see Hebrews 4:9).

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Mr. Clement Harrold.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

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